Ipswich Witches boss Chris Louis, left, has put his foot down over a request for star man Rohan Tungate to race in Poland on Thursday.
Tungate has been called up for a Test Match between Poland and Australia, but Louis has been left furious by the request, which only officially came today, as the Witches entertain Edinburgh tomorrow night.
“We have an international calendar and this Test Match wasn’t on it at the start of the season,” Louis said.
“In fact it’s still not on the calendar now. This fixture for us against Edinburgh has been on the calendar since March.
“Rohan is piggy in the middle of it all. But he knows we want him to ride for Ipswich and he will be fine wherever he ends up racing.”
Louis is still awaiting to hear the outcome.
The Witches will need Tungate and all the Ipswich side firing on all cylinders, not just at Foxhall on Thursday, but also for the League Cup clash at Somerset on Friday night and the big Bank Holiday clash against Newcastle on Monday.
“It’s another hectic period for us,” admitted Louis.
“It would be so good as a team for us to remain positive after opening our League season last week with a win.
“We all know about Craig Cook and Edinburgh, while I thought Newcastle were worth far more than their 37 points they got at Peterborough on Tuesday night.
“We are in for two tough clashes at Foxhall.”
Sandwiched inbetween Thursday’s meeting with the Monarchs and Monday’s with Newcastle, the Witches travel to Somerset on Friday night, hoping to keep their League Cup hopes alive.
Ipswich need a result of some sort at the Oak Tree Arena after their League Cup hopes were blown away over the Easter break.
The Witches will be without Morten Risager, who is riding in a Danish semi-final and Chris Schramm comes in for Adam Ellis, who is riding in a world under-21 qualifier.
But it’s the Monarchs first for the Witches, the Scottish side winning at Foxhall easily in the play-offs last season.
Although Cook leads the way for them, Sam Masters and Max Fricke are both riders in good form.
Thursday night’s teams
Witches: R Worrall, G Manzares, M Risager, C Heeps, R Tungate, A Ellis, R Hawkins
Edinburgh: C Cook, J Sedgmen, D Sneddon, M Fricke, S Masters, A Fox, S Worrall
Mike’s prediction: Witches 46 Monarchs 44
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